What are orthotics?
A lot of people don’t know what an orthotic exactly is and it can be confusing at times. Shoe inserts, arch supports, insoles, and orthotics are all terms that are used to describe what appear to be similar products. All of these products are meant provide support, relieve pain and help align the body, but all orthotics are not created equal.
Types of Orthotics
There are two basic types of “orthotics.” An arch support or insole is a non-prescription product which can be purchased over the counter at most drug stores. Sometimes companies ask you to stand on a box or walk on a special mat and give you reading for the orthotic that you require. This is not a custom orthotic.
Custom orthotics are precise, meticulously designed prescription medical devices that compensate for irregular biomechanics by controlling the motion across the joints in the foot and ankle. A custom orthotic is tailor-made to fit your feet with an integrated correction to limit abnormal foot function and/or accommodate for painful areas of the foot.
Custom orthotics can dramatically improve symptoms in the foot, ankle and remainder of the lower extremity. They can also improve posture, reduce strain on the lower legs and improve athletic performance. Furthermore, they perform functions that make standing, walking, and running more comfortable and efficient by slightly altering the angles at which the foot strikes a walking or running surface.
How do we make Custom Orthotics?
We first have to understand the biomechanics of your lower extremities. Dr. Riar performs a detailed gait analysis to assess how you walk to better develop your prescription. Additionally, a biomechanical analysis is performed to examine the dynamic function of your foot and how it corresponds to the way you walk.
From here, your feet are casted using a 3-D mold. This is done while the foot doctor corrects your feet to optimize function. We then take the biomechanical and gait analyses to generate your prescription and send it to various local orthotic laboratories to produce them. The choice of lab depends on your symptoms, your footgear and the prescription. All of our labs use premium materials to manufacture orthotics in order to make the devices comfortable and natural for everyday use.
After the orthotics are given to you, you gradually break-in the orthotic as the muscles of your foot and ankle become conditioned to them. You will follow up with Dr. Riar regularly to ensure good fit and comfort, and assess to see if any modifications are necessary.